September 7th 2023.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced a major measure to help reduce the cost of living crisis for families in the capital. Starting in the 2023/24 academic year, all children attending state primary schools in London will be eligible for free school meals.
This will no doubt be welcomed by many, as experts say the offer of free school meals can save upwards of £440 per year, per child. With food costs rocketing in recent months, this could help ease the burden on families in the capital.
All children attending state primary schools in London should automatically be enrolled to receive free school meals for the 2023/24 academic year. Those who already qualify for free school meals under the existing government scheme should continue to apply as before. Schools should be in touch to ask for the information they need to plan the number of meals they'll need to make, and to cater for dietary requirements. It's important to note, however, that there's no obligation to have the free meals, and children will still be allowed to take a packed lunch - rules on this are set by individual schools.
In the rest of England, free school meals are provided for all children in Reception class, Year 1 and Year 2 of state schools - but to take up the offer you need to register your interest with your local council. Older children may be able to get free school meals if parents receive certain benefits, while in Scotland, free school meals are offered to all children in Primary 1-5 at local council schools. Wales and Northern Ireland also have their own criteria for eligibility.
Sadiq Khan said in a statement: “We’re deeply concerned by the number of primary school children going hungry in London’s classrooms. Eligibility criteria for the Government’s existing free school meals offer is strict, which means many parents/carers and children who need this helping hand have been missing out.
"As someone who received free school meals myself, I’m incredibly proud that we’re able to step up and provide this crucial lifeline…I firmly believe that every child deserves the chance to be able to grow up healthy and thrive, regardless of their background or circumstances. But for this to happen, children must be able to access healthy, nutritious meals.”
It's clear this emergency measure from the Mayor of London is a much needed lifeline for families in the capital. With eligibility criteria varying across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, parents should contact their local authority for details on how to claim free school meals.
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